Seed variety changer for a planter

ABSTRACT

A system for changing seed variety on a planter includes a plurality of row units with each row unit having a plurality of seed meters. The seed meters are connected to a controller for actuation of a seed meter. The seed meters are actuated and controlled to plant a variety of seed based, in part, on the location of the planter in a field. The controller can be in communication with a mapping system, such as GPS, to provide updated location of the planter to determine a variety of seed to plant.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a Continuation Application of U.S. Ser. No.15/203,568, filed Jul. 6, 2016, which is a Continuation Application ofU.S. Ser. No. 14/836,464, filed Aug. 26, 2015, now U.S. Pat. No.9,408,341, issued Aug. 9, 2016, which is a Continuation Application ofU.S. Ser. No. 13/934,647, filed Jul. 3, 2013, now U.S. Pat. No.9,148,992, issued Oct. 6, 2015, which is a Continuation-in-PartApplication of U.S. Ser. No. 12/688,935, filed Jan. 18, 2010, now U.S.Pat. No. 8,543,238, issued Sep. 24, 2013, the contents of which are allhereby incorporated by reference in their entirety.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention is directed to a method and apparatus for changing theseed type on a planter and more particularly to a method and apparatusthat improves the ease and precision of changing seed types on aplanter.

Devices for changing the seed type on a planter are known in the art.Existing devices have raised the complexity of an operation that iscritical to a farm's income. As a result of the complexity, farmers havebeen less likely to change seed varieties when planting, thuscompromising yield opportunities for speed. Most fields have a majorityof land that utilizes one variety of seed and other minor areas thatrequire a different seed. In order to encourage farmers to takeadvantage of the opportunity to increase yield and profits, a device isneeded that reduces costs, complexity, and operational hurdles.

In addition, with current devices, locating and holding a seed forprecise delivery to the ground as the seed, once it leaves a meteringdevice, tends to bounce and/or scatter. Thus, a device that addressesthis deficiency is also needed.

Finally, most current devices require the use of GPS to controlactivation of the meters. Yet in some areas, such as Eastern Europe, GPStechnology is not so readily available. Thus, a device that addressesthis deficiency is needed in the art.

An objective of the present invention is to provide a device thatchanges seed variety in a planter in a simple and easy way.

A further objective of the present invention is to provide a device thatcontrols and holds a seed when changing the variety of seed duringplanting.

A still further objective of the present invention is to provide adevice that triggers the change of seed variety during planting withoutthe use of GPS.

These and other objectives will be apparent to one of ordinary skill inthe art based upon the following written description, drawings andclaims.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A system for changing seed variety in a planter includes a plurality ofrow units with each row unit having a plurality of seed meters. Eachseed meter is connected to and in communication with a hopper with eachhopper contained a different variety of seed.

Positioned below the seed meters is a transport belt that receives seedsfrom the meters and transports the seeds to a seed tube for planting. Inone embodiment a guide is attached to the discharge end of each seedmeter to reduce bounce of the seed when received on the belt. Further,to control the position of the seed on the belt, the belt has adjustablelugs, sidewalls, and/or a cover.

To easily switch from one seed variety to another, each seed meter has aswitch that is selectively activated and deactivated by a switchactuator that is attached to the belt. Also, the system has a clean outsystem that uses an existing seed delivery fan to create a vacuum thatremoves seeds from the belt for storage. Also, a seed carrying systemusing a bulk seed delivery system such as a Kinze Air Seed Deliverysystem for a large reservoir of a primary hybrid and one or more ‘seedboxes’ used on a row unit is described. In this manner a farmer cancarry a large amount of seed and multiple varieties as desired withoutthe complexity of multiple bulk delivery system.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an end view of a system for changing seed variety for aplanter;

FIG. 2 is a side view of a planting system;

FIG. 3 is an end view of transport belt; and

FIG. 4 is a clean out system for a planter.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring to the Figures, a planting system 10 includes an agriculturalimplement 12 that pulls a planter 14. The planter includes a pluralityof hoppers, tanks, and/or boxes 16 that hold different varieties ofseeds 18. In one embodiment the planter 14 has a bulk hopper 16A thatholds a main seed variety 18A and a plurality of boxes 16B that holddifferent types of secondary seeds 18B for use with unique ground areas.

The planter also has a plurality of row units 22 with each row unit 22having a plurality of seed meters 24. The seed meters 24 may be arrangedin any manner such as stacked generally on top of one another, in-linewith one another or in any other type of configuration. Each seed meter24 is connected to and in communication with a respective hopper 16 by atube, hose, or the like 26 such that seed 18 is delivered from thehopper 16 to the meter 24.

Positioned below the discharge of the seed meters 24 is a transport belt28. The transport belt 28 receives seed 18 from the seed meters 24 anddelivers seed 18 to a seed tube 30 preferably positioned at one end ofthe belt 28. The seed tube 30 delivers seed to be deposited in theground for planting.

To reduce the bounce of the seed 18 onto the belt 28, a guide 32 isattached to the discharge of the seed meter 24 and positioned above andnear the belt 28. The guide 32 is of any shape such as angled, arcuate,or the like and preferably delivers seed 18 in the direction that thebelt 28 is moving. Also, preferred is that the guide 32 be adjustable inrelation to the belt 28 to accommodate for different planting needs.

To further locate and hold the seed 18 on belt 28, a cover 34 isattached to adjustable sidewalls 36 of the belt 28 which are connectedto a belt frame 38 by bolts 40. The belt 28 also has a plurality of lugsor flights 42 that also may be adjustable or can be changed by switchingthe belt to a belt with a different lug design. At the discharge end ofthe belt 28, the cover has an end guide 44 that assists in controllingseed drop to the seed tube 30. The cover 34, lugs 42, and sidewalls 36are all adjusted such that a seed 18 fits comfortably on the belt 28below the cover 34 and between the lugs 42 so as to hold the seed 18between the lugs 42. The sidewalls 36 adjust to accommodate differentbelt widths for different seed types. For example, different belts wouldbe used for wheat or milo as opposed to corn and beans. With theseprovisions, belt 28 effectively becomes a seed meter.

The transport belt 28 and seed meters 24 are connected to and controlledby a controller 46 having software 48 that actuates and coordinates theoperation of the seed meters 24 and the transport belt 28. In oneembodiment, the controller 46 is in electronic communication withinstrumentality of the implement 12 and a GPS/satellite navigation andmapping system 50, which is in electronic communication with theimplement 12 and planter 14.

For use when GPS is not available, each seed meter 24 has a switch orsensor 52 located adjacent the transport belt 28. Attached to the belt28 and connected to the controller 46 is a switch actuator 54. In oneembodiment the switch actuator 54 is an electrically charged magnet. Theswitch actuator 54 is activated by the controller based upon manualactuation by an operator. For example, in an arrangement having fourseed meters 24, when the rear seed meter is dispensing seed 18 to belt28, and it is desirable to change to the front seed meter, an operatorpushes a button, flips a switch, or pulls a lever which sends a signalto the controller 46 to activate the front meter and deactivates therear meter. The controller 46 then sends signals to the switch actuator54 such that as the actuator 54 passes by the rear meter switch 52, therear meter 24 is deactivated and stops depositing seeds 18 to belt 28.As the actuator 54 passes the front meter switch 52, the front meterswitch 52 is activated and the front meter 24 begins depositing seeds 18to the belt 28 at exactly the point that the end of the seed supply onthe belt passes under meter 1. As a result, there is no interruption indelivering seeds 18 to the belt 28 nor are multiple seeds 18 deliveredinto a lug 42 on the belt 28.

When planting is completed and an operator wishes to clean out the seeds18 from the planter 14, the operator closes the gate valve 56 betweenthe fan 58, used for delivery of bulk seed to a seed meter 24 and anentrainment box 60 and opens gate valve 67 to provide an air exit. Aconduit 62 is connected between an air source 64 and the fan 58 and thedischarge end of the transport belt 28 and is connected to the fanintake via gate valve 68, which is opened when seed clean out isdesired. Utilizing an airlock 65 connected to conduit 62 and exitconduit 66 which leads to a storage or transport container vehicle 69, avacuum is created. Thus, by running each seed meter 24 separately foreach seed 18 type, the seeds 18 are delivered via the air lock 64 to avacuum conduit 62 using air pressure from the fan 58 to the exit conduit66 which delivers the seed to storage 69. If desired, gate valve 56 canbe re-opened and valve 67 closed such that a meter 24 is refilled untilthe bulk seed hopper is empty.

Thus a device for changing the variety of seed for a planter has beendisclosed that at the very least meets all the stated objectives.

What is claimed is:
 1. A planter capable of changing the seed varietyplanted, comprising: a plurality of row units, wherein each row unitincludes a plurality of seed meters to meter seed; a controlleroperatively connected to the plurality of seed meters at each of theplurality of row units, said controller configured to actuate theoperation of the seed meters to plant a selected seed variety by one ofthe plurality of seed meters of a particular row unit; and an endlessmember is associated with the meters such that the endless member iscapable of receiving seed from each of the plurality of meters andtransporting the seed towards a furrow for planting in a field.
 2. Theplanter of claim 1, further comprising a mapping system operativelyconnected to the controller to selectively operate the plurality of seedmeters to change the variety of seed planted based upon a location ofthe planter.
 3. The planter of claim 2, wherein the mapping systemcomprises a global positioning system.
 4. The planter of claim 1,wherein the plurality of seed meters on each row unit are positionedin-line with one another.
 5. The planter of claim 1, wherein saidendless member including a portion that extends below the plurality ofseed meters.
 6. The planter of claim 5, further comprising a guidepositioned between a seed meter and the endless member.
 7. The planterof claim 6, wherein the guide is configured to deliver the seed from theseed meter to the endless member.
 8. The planter of claim 7, furthercomprising an adjustable cover associated with the endless member. 9.The planter of claim 8, wherein the cover terminates in an end guide ata discharge end associated with a lower portion of the endless member.10. A row unit of an agricultural planter capable of changing the seedvariety planted at the row unit, the row unit comprising: a plurality ofseed meters positioned a single row unit of the planter; and acontroller operatively connected to the plurality of seed meters, saidcontroller configured to actuate the operation of the seed meters toplant a selected seed variety by one of the plurality of seed meters ofa particular row unit; an endless member associated with the seed metersto receive seed therefrom and to transport seed towards a furrow; and aguide at least partially between the seed meters and the endless member.11. The row unit of claim 10, wherein the plurality of seed meters of arow unit are positioned generally in-line with one another.
 12. The rowunit of claim 10, further comprising at least one seed tube forreceiving seed from the plurality of seed meters.
 13. The row unit ofclaim 10, further comprising a mapping system operatively connected tothe controller to selectively operate the plurality of seed meters tochange the variety of seed planted.
 14. The row unit of claim 10,wherein said endless member including a portion that extends below theplurality of meters.
 15. A method of planting multiple seed varieties,the method comprising: providing a planter having a plurality of rowunits and each row unit comprising a plurality of seed meters positionedat a single row unit; providing a separate seed variety to each seedmeter of at least one of the plurality of row units; selectivelyactuating, via a controller operatively connected to the plurality ofseed meters of the plurality of row units, one of the seed meters of arow unit to plant a selected seed variety associated with the seed meterat the row unit; and transporting, via an endless member, the selectedseed from the one of the seed meters towards a furrow.
 16. The method ofclaim 15, further comprising determining a location of the planter via amapping system, and wherein the location of the planter is communicatedto the controller to selectively actuate the seed meter to plant theselected seed variety based upon the location.
 17. The method of claim16, wherein said controller is in electronic communication with themapping system to provide the location of the planter.
 18. The method ofclaim 15, further comprising changing from a first variety of seed to asecond variety of seed, and wherein said changing comprisesdeactivation, via the controller, of a first seed meter, and activation,via the controller, of a second seed meter on a row unit to plant saidsecond variety of seed.